Category Archives: Bromley

Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar ~ home to Spitfires & a Hurricane.

20 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in Bromley, Family Activities

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bhhg signWhile I generally try to write about places you can go year round, this particular post is about things you’ll have to make an effort to see - but it’s well worth it.  In particular, my goal was to give enough advance notice of the upcoming event to be held on 17-August that is well worth considering.  Because after all, who doesn’t want to see historic WWII Spitfires and Hurricanes flying overhead!

various BHHH planes

Biggin Hill Heritage Hanger (BHHH):  Established in 2011, BHHH has the primary purpose of preserving, restoring and operating a wonderful collection of historic airplanes.   These aircraft are not just museum relics, many are airworthy and can be seen around the country, and here, at numerous events throughout the year including open houses and shows.  Their organization’s goals are to provide current and future generations the chance to see airworthy Spitfires up close and in the air. They organize open days, arranged visits and tours throughout the summer months. All of which they advertise on their website and Facebook page - see below.  Over the summer a few of these events are held within Greater London.  The Spitfires and Hurricane will be at the Damyns Hall Aerodrome (a private general aviation facility located in Upminster (see http://www.damynshall.co.uk/ ) when they host the ‘Military and Flying Machines show’ August 2-3.  The other main opportunity to see these planes will be at Biggin Hill on August 16th for a notable event (see below).

bhhh

BHHH’s aircraft: Their aircraft include some excellent fully airworthy examples of the legendary WWII Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft.  Each plane has its own detailed wartime history that you can learn about when visiting.  Their planes include the following:

Airworthy Spitfires include a Mark IX Spitfire, known as the ‘Spirit of Kent’ (acknowledging that Kent was the only county in the UK to have paid for an entire RAF Squadron), a Mark IXc Supermarine Spitfire and a Mark XVIe Supermarine Spitfire. Other planes include a Hurricane, built as Hurricane I by Canadian Car & Foundry in 1941. Among the many other planes here are several other Spitfires undergoing restoration.

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Musical Salute to “The Few”:  Of significant note is this event held on 17-August-2013 and featuring the Royal Airforce Band.  It has been 3 years since a similar event was held.  During this event ticket holders will relive the 1940s and the Battle of Britain.  With video, narration, music, re-enactors and the aircraft themselves, attendees will experience a scramble of fighter planes, flyovers, and an aerial display.  Gates open at 3pm, pre-event entertainment starting at 5pm and the main event from 6:30pm - 9:30pm.  Go to http://www.synergyeventsuk.com/tickets for ticket info.  Their Facebook page is a good resource to stay up to date on all their activities and the location of all the events that BHHH participates in. 

There regular web page is: http://bigginhillheritagehangar.co.uk/  Souvenirs available on this site and through their ebay shop help raise money to restore the planes.  FYI: Their webpage events calendar is not as accurate as their FB page.

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Other Experiences:  Through the BHHH you can pay for the opportunity to actually sit in the cockpit of a Spitfire as well as fly in as a wing-man alongside a Spitfire in the air.  To learn more about these experiences click here.

Biggin Hill History:  In WWII this was a RAF aerodrome and one of the most famous airports during the Battle of Britain.  As one of the primary bases for British fighter planes, its pilots shot down over 1,400 enemy aircraft providing the primary defence for London against bombers attacking from the south-east.  While today the airport is mostly civilian, there is still a small RAF Biggin Hill installation here - housing an Air Training Corp.  Given the airports history it is very appropriate that it is the home of the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar Ltd.

Located at: Main Rd, Biggin Hill, Bromley, TN16 3BH

Nearest rail:  Charing Cross to Orpington (by rail), then Bus R2.

Photo Credit:  Several of the photos are sourced from BHHH’s FB page.

Three Mills Island & House Mill: the world’s largest tidal mill.

08 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in Bromley, Family Activities, Historic Buildings, Museums (Historical)

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Three_Mills_IslandLocated just south of the Olympic Park is Three Mills Island - home to the largest tidal mill in the world and also home to London’s largest film studio.  The island is a conservation area bordering the River Lea offering several sites worth visiting.  While the studios cannot be toured, the island, tidal mill, visitor centre and adjacent park can all be visited.  The architecture and location are unique - with cobblestone streets, oast house architecture, a clock tower and old brick buildings, one feels transported back in time to a place far away from East London.

Clock Tower 3 Mills

History: This area has been home to mills since Saxon times.  In the Domesday Book there were 8 tidal mills on the River Lea.  Five mill areas were recorded in the Lea tributaries: Pudding Mill, City Mill, Waterworks Mill, Abbey Mill and Three Mills. At Three Mills the mills were built on a man-made island to make the most use of the ebb tide. By the late sixteenth century the area of Three Mills was still known to have two producing mills - grinding corn and making gunpowder.  A third mill was reestablished later.

House Mill interior

While water mills were generally powered by the downstream flow of water, the mills located here took advantage of the tidal flow up the Thames Estuary and Bow Creek.  High tide water was essentially trapped behind a sluice and then released at a controlled rate to drive the mill wheel.  In medieval times historians estimated the mills here probably operated for 3-4 hours per tide.  By the early 20th Century, advances in engineering allowed the mills to work for up to 8 hours per tide.  Grain, delivered by barge or cart, was ground here for various uses.  Prior to 1820 some of the milled grain went to the adjacent distillery for alcohol production.  It was then stored in a large bonded warehouse on adjacent land before being transported elsewhere to be made into gin.  After 1820 it became illegal for alcohol to be made on the same premises as the mill.  In 1872 the mill was purchased by a Gin distiller from Clerkenwell, where one assumes the alcohol was turned into gin.

Three Mills warehouse

The Buildings:  The three mills here were House Mill, the Clock Mill, and a Windmill. The first two still survive. House Mill, is Grade I listed, and is the only structure than contains it milling components.  Originally built in 1776, it was rebuilt after a fire in 1802.  It continued in operation until 1941.  Saved from demolition in the 1970s, restoration began in 1989.  The project still calls for the restoration of all four water wheels and the internal machinery. The hope is that electricity can be generated and put back into the grid.  Footage of the restoration project and an insight into the workings of the Mill can be seen here: http://housemill.org.uk/  The Grade II listed Clock Tower was built in 1817 and was in use as a mill up until 1952.  The Windmill was here until approximately 1840, but has since been lost.  There is also a Customs House and a reconstructed Miller’s House on the site in addition to the film studio buildings.

House Mill:  Open every Sunday from May-Oct from 11-4pm, and on periodic other Sundays throughout the year.  All tours through the mill are guided, last just under an hour and start as demand warrants.  Cost is £3.00 (concessions £1.50, children free).

The Miller’s House: Next door to the House Mill containing a visitor information and education centre.  Start here for tours.

The Miller’s Cafe: Open Mon-Fri 10-3 and when the House Mill is open for tours.

3 Mills Studio

3 Mills Studios:  Located just north of the Customs House and Clock Mill is this gated studio complex.  While not open to the public, the studio houses almost a dozen sound stages, a screening room, a prison set, period building sets, and production facilities known to be commonly used by Danny Boyle.

Located at:  The Miller’s House, Three Mill Lane, Bromley-by-Bow, E3 3DU

Closest tube:  Bromley-by-Bow

Source: Housemill.org.uk

Source: Housemill.org.uk

The Queen’s Head Pub ~ since 1565 and Darwin’s ‘local’?

04 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by in Bromley, Famous People, Historic Buildings, Pubs of interest, Royal London

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Queens Head outsideWhile an unlikely destination in and of itself, many individuals visit Downe Village to see Down House - the home of Charles Darwin for many years (see info below).  Combining a visit there with a trip to the Queen’s Pub is worthwhile.  As one of the oldest public houses in Greater London the Queen’s Head is an interesting place.

History:  Queen Elizabeth visited Downe in November 1559 to attended the baptism of the daughter of her Knight Marshall, Henry Manning.  He was the Knight Marshall (or Marshall of the Household) under Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth so he had a high standing within the Royal Court.  The “Queen’s Head” was built a few years later in 1565 and named in honour of her visit.

The inn passed through various hands but maintained its significance by becoming Queens Head vintage photoa well established stage post and coaching inn for those heading in or out of London.  By the late 18th Century the inn has a grocers and a corn merchant shop adjacent to it - both of which were later integrated into the pub as we see it today.

Darwin’s Connection:  From 1842 until his death in 1882, Charles Darwin photoCharles Darwin lived locally at Down House where he conducted much of his research (see my prior post: http://londonunveiled.com/2012/06/27/darwin-down-house/ ).  It is claimed that during this time, the Queen’s Head was a pub he often frequented, which leads to the naming of one of the bars as the ‘Darwin Bar’.

Today:  The pub offers food and drink and has an outdoor patio & garden.  Set over three bars, with numerous fireplaces and a selection of board games, visitors will queens head interiorfind several real cask ales on tap. Some of the food offered is locally sourced (fish from Hastings, meat and vegetables from local farms).  Sunday roasts are available too.  For more information on menus or bookings see their website: http://www.queensheaddowne.com/  The pub is open Sun-Thu 12 noon - 11 pm (11:30pm on weekends).

Location:  The Queen’s Head, Downe, Orpington, BR6 7US

Closest Rail:  15 minutes from London Victoria to Bromley South, followed by bus 146 OR from Charing Cross or Victoria to Orpington followed by bus R8 (not on Sundays).

Photo credit: Queen’s Head Website

The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs ~ the first of their kind in the world

18 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by in Bromley, Family Activities, Free Activities, Parks

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Located in a corner of Crystal Palace Park is a display that was revolutionary and groundbreaking in its day.  In 1854 an exhibition of life size sculptures was unveiled to the public portraying extinct mammals and dinosaurs as they were believed to have looked.  While today this may not seem significant given the prevalance of dinosaur imagery and films such as Jurassic Park, it must be noted that this was the first time in the world that such an attempt had been made.  While the displays are not considered anatomically correct today, they shaped peoples views at that time and they led to a greater desire to visualize the extinct species of the past.  Perhaps because of this exhibit the fascination with dinosaurs started that led to their ubiquitous appearance in modern culture.

In 1852 after the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace had closed (1851), the land was reshaped into a public park with lakes and ornamental gardens.  The scupltor, Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, was commissioned to create sculptures to place in the lakes’ islands - initially of extinct mammals but later expanded to include dinosaurs.  He based his creations on then current knowledge.  He received guidance from Richard Owen, a well known Paleontologist.  The dinosaurs were installed on islands that portrayed different eras in history - Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic.  The evolutionary progression illustrated was advanced for its day when you consider that On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin was published several years later.Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins' studio in Sydenha...

As a note of interest, Hawkins went to New York, USA and was commissioned to create a similar installation in Central Park.  Political action stopped the installation and rumor has it the dinosaur models ended up being buried in Central Park.  He then went on to work at the Smithsonian.

As the sculptures fell out of favour, they also fell into disrepair.  In the 1950s they received their first restoration, but also relocation throughout the park.  In 2002 a more complete archival restoration occured and the sculptures were returned to their island homes.  There are currently 15 extinct species on display and they are now Grade I listed.  They have been referenced in plenty of literature ranging from Paul Theroux to Dorothy Sayers.  They can be viewed in the south east corner of Crystal Palace Park.

There is also a museum in the park that provides some history on the exhibit.  See http://www.crystalpalacemuseum.org.uk/ for more information.

The park is open year round during daylight hours.  Admission free.

Located at: Anerley Hill, Crystal Palace, SE19 2BA

Closest rail: Penge West or Crystal Palace (London Overground)

Chislehurst Caves ~ an underground adventure!

25 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Bromley

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A sense of adventure attracts most people to this unique place to visit.  The Chislehurst caves are man made tunnels remaining from chalk and flint mines.  There are 22 miles of tunnels, and some of them potentially date back to 1250, with more recent work ending around 1830.  in WW I they were used for ammunition storage, and then mushroom growing, and during WW II as an air raid shelter.  In the 1960s music was performed here - including performances by the Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix.  They have also been used in various Dr. Who TV episodes.

Located near the quaint suburban village of Chislehurst in Bromley these ‘caves’ offer not only a trip below the surface,  but effectively a lamp-lit trek back in time. A guide leads visitors on a 45-minute tour of the hand-hewn passageways, telling tales of Romans, Saxons and druids (though evidence is scant). There is also a gift shop and a cafe.  The caves are open for tours Weds - Sun starting at 10am - 4pm, on the hour.  Tour fees are £5 or less.  For more information visit their website at: http://www.chislehurst-caves.co.uk/

Located at: Caveside Close, Old Hill, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5NL

Closest rail: Chislehurst

Down House ~ home of Charles Darwin & his research.

27 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Bromley, Famous People

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Down House was the home of the Victorian scientist, Charles Darwin (1809–82) from 1842 until his death 40 years later. Situated in the rural Kent village of Downe, but still part of Greater London, the house offered the peace and privacy that Darwin needed to work on his revolutionary scientific theories. The property is managed by English Heritage.  It was at Down, primarily in the gardens, that he developed his landmark views on evolution by natural selection. They were both an outdoor laboratory for his experiments and also a place where he could reflect deeply upon their meaning. Today you can see 12 of his experiments which have been recreated in the grounds at Down, as well as Darwin’s beloved greenhouses. It was here that he made revolutionary discoveries about the reproductive behaviour of plants.

With its unique place in the history of science, Down House, is one of the major visitor attractions in the South East. See the study where Darwin wrote ‘On the Origin of Species’ in 1859, still as it was when he worked here, and stroll through the extensive gardens that so inspired the great scientist.

Equally fascinating are the glimpses you get into the life of the Darwins in the family rooms. And there’s an exciting interactive multimedia tour, narrated by David Attenborough, to tell you more about how Darwin developed his ideas.   Open 11am - 5pm Weds - Sun.  Admission charges exist.  See the website for more details and for information on periodic special events:  http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/home-of-charles-darwin-down-house/

Location:  Luxted Road, Downe, Kent - BR6 7JT

Rail Access: 15 minutes from London Victoria to Bromley South, followed by bus 146 OR from Charing Cross or Victoria to Orpington followed by bus R8 (not on Sundays).

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